1.11.2009

You are being watched...

...Or so we'd like to think?

Another shameful disclosure. I have to admit I am fascinated by the reality TV craze. Craze isn't exactly the right word. This sludge, this crap-- it's been around long enough to be considered a staple in pop culture. 51 Minds, the production company behind such masterpieces like Flavor of Love, have come up with such a horrifically brilliant formula. They create these "celeb-reality stars" by the dozen, and each specimen has potential to spawn into a spin-off of it's own.

There is such a strange relationship these specimens have to the camera and the audience. There's an artificial haze surrounding all the events that partake, the confessionals, the over-the-top debauchery and the escalating violence. I don't know why any of these shows even pretend to hold any noble schemes. By being cast on a reality show, people objectify their identities. And it's almost a celebrated stature. Are we supposed to desire this kind of attention?

My theory is that we are being primed to welcome this 24 hour surveillance, through increasing amounts of mind numbingly dumbed down garbage, whitewashing our minds of any free thought or disobedience. We are encouraged to document everything digitally, upload our experiences into public view, use unlimited text message plans to send private information over the network. Our cultural value is determined by the amount of hits we recieve, or subscribers or friends-- is connectivity power, or is it enslavement?

I see a mix of Fahrenheit 451's televised oppression with doses of 1984. I remember in a Crit Theory class, the professor asked us if we cared that there are security cameras everywhere. No one seemed passionate, claiming to value safety over privacy. Another student went further to say that people would rather be safe than free. I feel like breaking my cellphone. (Again.)

I should have put more eyes on this, but I got lazy.

In music news, everyone should go see Phil Collins' Beat, Gentlemen Jesse, Deep Sleep show at the Talking Head on Feb 2nd. Looks like someone appreciates Photoshop's cutout filter as much as I do...Of course it's a Monday. It's no suprise at this point that any bands I like would rather play anywhere else on a weekend. But if you're into well written, feel good powerpop, check them out.